


Ruins of the tragedy

by Elysionia



Series: Genesis [2]
Category: House of Cards (US TV)
Genre: Angst, Childhood Trauma, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Graphic, Hurt/Comfort, Rape, Sexual Abuse, Tragedy, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-13 00:38:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18021530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elysionia/pseuds/Elysionia
Summary: Just a couple of more steps forward and she’ll be untouchable





	Ruins of the tragedy

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning are all in the tags. If you are sensitive, don't read. If you want to skip the rape, there's a longer break mark before and after that paragraph.

 

_Bring me back_

_snake your hands through the layers_

_through my thick skin_

_wait there_

_listen to the change_

_the rhythm of my heartbeat_

 

_let me get used to your weight_

_pushing me_

_down_

_and if you’re able to see_

_my scars_

_bind them down_

 

_force me to remember_

_how easy it is to talk_

_force me to remember_

_how easy it is to_

_sing_

_for you_

 

_now I can see much further than before_

_I’m no longer afraid of the tides_

_nor the strangers_

 

_when the morning comes_

_lay down on the roof_

_I’ll return_

_to you_

 

.:.:.

 

He hasn’t heard of her in over two months. After meeting at this rooftop almost every other Saturday night since September it had abruptly stopped.

He had watched the season change with her. But now she’s gone like the autumn leaves. Flown away with the songbirds. Leaving behind colourless bare trees and suffocating darkness. She didn’t say anything. Didn’t leave a note or write him a letter.

Now he’s sitting alone on the icy roof, buried in a woolen scarf. His arse freezing even though he sits on top of his satchel. Fingers stiff around the cigarette. Snow had covered all the rooftops in Cambridge making everything uniform. Pure and flawless. Claire would have appreciated this view of the city.

He’s been having dreams about her. He was afraid that she’ll disappear one day just like in his dreams. Fading into smoke seconds before he is about to catch her. Jumping off the edge, spreading her wings. Gone.

 

He hates to admit it, feels petty, but he misses the long and electrifying conversations with her. Their banter. He misses her laugh and the way she challenges him in every way. It’s refreshing to have a real conversation with someone. Without any false flattery or lies.

 

He’s fighting himself. If she doesn’t want to meet with him anymore, she doesn’t have to. He can accept that. He thought they were starting to become friends.

Still it continues to trouble him. But what if something has happened to her. Something he knows nothing about. Maybe she’s fallen ill. Maybe she’s twisted her ankle in ballet and is unable to climb up here. Maybe he has offended her with his inconsiderable words, with the truth. The possibilities plague him.

It’s slowly starting to affect his life.

He can’t help but think about her more every passing day. Watching people walk outside the window, he looks for her. Waiting to catch a glimpse of her golden hair. Walking the campus grounds he searches for her, unable to find her from the unfamiliar faces. Failing to find her from the smooth lips and traveling hands of the strangers.

 

Flicking his cigarette he sits on the roof and waits. Maybe someday she’ll come back to him.

 

.:.:.

 

She shuts the door quietly slipping inside her dorm. She drapes her coat and scarf slowly over a hanger trying to make as little noise as possible. She steps inside her studio. City lights shining from the windows. Hunched there at her table is Dalton McGinnis, her almost-boyfriend. Depending on if you ask from Claire or him. By the smell he’s nursing a rum on his hand. Clenching his jaw.

 

‘’Where were you again? I thought you were supposed to come home and we’d spend a nice evening together.’’ Dalton questions her tightly. Claire places her heavy leather bag down on the floor before sighing: ‘’ I was out. I didn’t think that you would come here tonight, after the day we had.’’ She wraps her hands around her waist in a protective manner. Eyes hardening. She’s not here to fight with him.

 

‘’Who were you out with? Are you cheating on me with some other guy. Did you think that I wouldn’t notice a thing?’’ His temper is starting to boil over. Fragile ego of a man. Clenching his fists he rises from the table and raises his voice: ‘’I’m not just another guy you can play around with and throw away after you’re done. Don’t think I haven’t seen you do it.‘’

 

Claire takes a step back. This is bad. Nothing will good will come of this. ‘’Dalton, please calm down. I think you should leave and we’ll talk about this later when you’re sober.’’ Claire tries. Speaking low glancing at the floor not wanting to deal with his rage.

 

‘’No, you answer to me now! Are you cheating on me?’’ Dalton shouts stepping closer to her. One step forward. One step back. Dancing on the edge of the fine blade. Claire’s back thumps lightly against the bare wall.

 

‘’Look at me.’’ He’s ready to pounce at her like a wild animal. Heartbeat rising. His demands won’t make Claire raise her eyes to his. She’s already deep in her head trying to ignore him.  

 

In a second he’s pressing his hand violently against her throat. Snapping her back in to the moment. He pushes hard against her airways making her eyes water. ‘’I said look at me!‘’ He forces her chin up facing her livid eyes burning with hate. Claire tries to claw his strong hands away from her throat before she suffocates.

 

His hot awfully sweet breath hits against her face when he bows down to kiss her lips. Claire struggles between his large body and the unyielding wall, unable to escape the bruising kiss. She has to stop this. Making the decision she sinks her teeth down on his lower lip. Hard.

 

Dalton’s hands fly away from her throat in a second. Cursing he lifts his fingers against his now bleeding lip. Red trickling down his chin. Claire is starting to hyperventilate, glued to the wall from the shock.

 

Now.

Run.

 

She’s not fast enough. She tries to bolt away but is struck hard back against the wall by Dalton’s strong arms. Her head smacks against the wall from the impact. Pain radiates from the back of her skull making her see small dots of black. She can’t help but feel her legs giving up under her, slumping down from the intense pain. Unable to do anything. Dalton’s leg is between her thighs to catch her. He presses a gentle kiss against her cheek next to her ear whispering: ‘’You’re not going anywhere.’’

 

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

 

She must have lost consciousness for a second and woken up in hell. Her head aches. She’s in her bed naked, clothes ripped off her body. His heavy body is pinning her down on the sheets. Struggling to breath underneath him. He’s kissing slowly down her neck.

 

‘’Dalton stop. Please don’t. ‘’ She pleads, trying to push him off but he has secured her arms in his hand above her head. Her legs open under his heavy hips. She can feel his hardness rubbing against her. Unable to fight back. Despair is starting to creep up on her. Turning her stomach around.

 

‘’Shh Claire, I know you’re going to love this. You’re such a slut.’’ He groans in her ear. He bites hard kisses down her throat leaving purple behind. She mews in pain trying to twist away under him. ‘’I don’t want this. Please stop right now. Let me go. ‘’ She tries begging him in no avail. Unable to lift him off her.

 

He doesn’t heed her pleas. Her panic only urging him on. She can feel his cock piercing through her hard. Tearing her insides. She screams at the sudden intrusion. Pain burning through her. ‘’You’re so fucking tight.’’ He moans while pushing his cock into her dry cunt. His traveling hand abusing her body. Groping and pinching. Without giving her any time to adjust, he starts hammering brutally into her. Bottoming out with every thrust. Not caring about the river of tears running from her fearful eyes.

 

She feels like she’s going to die under him. The unbearable pain from her core is splitting her in two. Ripping her apart. Trying to fight against him she wails. Pinned down, limbs trapped, unable to move. ‘’Shut the fuck up.’’ With a sharp thrust of his hips against her, she cries harder. Face red with tears.

 

Tired of listening to Claire’s sobbing, he pulls out the sheet on her bed with his free hand. Before she notices it, he’s showed half of the sheet in her mouth. Muffling her screams. She’s suffocating. If he doesn’t stop, she’s going to choke on the sheet. Hyperventilation and her head making her dizzy.

 

Immersed in his pleasure he loosens his grip against Claire’s bruised wrists. Gripping her hips hard, he sinks his fingers deep into her flesh. This is it. In a blink she rips her hands free, pushing hard against Dalton with all her might, aiming hard for the face. With a sickening crack and cursing, warm blood starts to dribble down on Claire’s face.

 

She only hears the loud smack ringing in her ears. Her face feels like it’s on fire. He’s hit her. With a renewed rage he quickens his thrusts. Cursing he wrenches her arms back up. Her blood pooling slick between their bodies. Colouring the sheets deep red. He groans pushing in deep and cums inside of her.

 

She hopes he would strangle her instead. Her body trembling from the pain and shock. She’s barely conscious when he pulls out of her. Kissing her lips softly he mocks her. He dresses up in silence. Placing his key on the table he’s out of the door in seconds.

 

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

 

She doesn’t know how long she’s been lying there. In the mess. She has been staring at the cracks on the walls. Sun has set and risen again, casting shadows on to the white walls. The light pierces through her broken body. Not even a shadow left of her. She imagines places far away from here.  

 

Closing her eyes she sees red.

 

She’s too afraid to even try to move her battered body. Everything aches. Slipping in and out of troubled sleep, she opens her eyes to the darkness. Body covered in cold sweat, blood and the remains of his deed. Tears are dripping from her eyes slowly. Wetting her ears. She lifts her bruised hand gingerly to wipe away the wetness wincing at the sight of her purple wrists. Grazing her bruised cheek.

 

Taking shuddering breaths she tries to concentrate on her breathing. Slowly in and out. Throat tightening up. Still feeling the phantom of the sheet in her mouth.

 

Journey to the bathroom takes her years. She can’t, won’t look up into the mirror. She doesn’t want to see _her_. The girl captured against the wall. Pinned on the bed. Sliding down against the shower wall she sobs, curling up on the floor. Scalding hot water raining down her back. Burning. Wet hair curtaining her body from the World. Stinging on her skin makes her feel alive. Pulling her back to the reality. Terror of it all striking against her face.

 

This is happening to her.

 

Hate, anger and vengeance all boil up, spilling over the surface. Fire bursting out. She suppresses the scream trying to escape her lungs. Wants to crush her fists at the tile floor. Livid at herself. How can she be so weak, useless, foolish.

 

She thinks about the boys of her youth, who teased her, who violated her. How she made them suffer. She is going to make McGinnis suffer. She will rise above the rubble, out of their ashes. Reborn stronger than she ever was. Show them all her strength.

 

Reshaping oneself takes time. She has to keep herself together. Do whatever it takes to get through this. Just a couple of more steps forward and she’ll be untouchable.

 

Will the water wash all of this away. Renew her, heal her broken body and heart. She sits in the burning shower until this feeling is nothing more than a memory.

 

.:.:.

 

Knocking on her door wakes her up from the haze. She has no idea what day it is. Disoriented she sits up on the bed feeling shaky. Her ears ring. Dragging her feet against the floor she takes cautious steps. Fighting against gravity. Burning between her tights intensifying. She winces pressing her cheek against the wooden door trying to collect her ego.

 

‘’Claire Hale! Answer me now! Where have you been? I’m worried about you. I haven’t seen you in a week and I’m starting to run out of lies to tell to the professors and the coach. ‘’ Sharp voice of a girl exclaims huffing: ’’Please let me in Claire.’’

 

Claire slides the heavy door open, revealing a red cheeked, snow covered Annette Shepherd. She’s unable to disguise her horrified face when she sees Claire’s disheveled appearance. ‘’Oh my god Claire, what happened?’’

  


.:.:.

 

He’s looking for the eggs between the aisles. Crouching down to pick a carton he sees a flash of her on his peripheral vision. He drops the eggs into the basket not caring what fairs of them. Rising up he takes fast steps, hunting her down in a maze of groceries. Is it really Claire?

 

She’s stopped at picking apples. Hiding her hair behind the lapels of her trench. ‘’Claire, I haven’t seen you in a while.’’ He says with a sheepish smile on his face. She whips herself around, eyes flashing with ice. Red apples roll on the floor and he realizes everything is not the same.

 

Claire looks like hell. Her usually bright eyes are dull, lifeless. Her cheeks appear to be dangerously gaunt. Tendons popping out of her neck. He can see her heart beating from the suprasternal notch. She tenses under his eyes. Looking like a deer caught in headlights ‘’Francis. I - - ‘’

 

He interrupts her lowering his voice so no one else can hear them: ‘’Are you ok?’’ She swallows deep and tries to avoid his questioning eyes. Crouching down to collect the apples from the floor. To hide from him. That’s the only answer he needs from her.

 

He lifts his eyebrows and looks at her under his eye brows. He knows everything is not okay. Claire slaps the apples back into her bag bruising them more. ‘’Not here. Just let me get some bread and we can go.’’ She answers timidly.

 

.:.:.

 

Walk to Claire’s is slow and quiet. He helps Claire to carry her groceries to her dorm. Unpacking their foods into her empty fridge, he folds the bag neatly on the countertop. Making a neat triangle.

 

He hasn’t been here before. Her apartment is white, pristine and minimalistic. There are no pictures on the walls. Only couple of expensive looking paintings and a tall mirror standing in the corner. Black miniature horse sits on the windowsill. It feels somehow hollow. Empty. Like a perfectly preserved mausoleum. He leans back against the kitchen counter while Claire sits down on the edge of her table.

 

‘’Tell me what’s wrong.‘’ He finally asks with worry in his eyes, trying to give her enough space. Standing feets away from her. Claire pushes her hair back nervously. Trying to figure out should she lie to Francis or not. She has no idea how he’ll react. His gaze piercing through her. They’ve been very straightforward with each other before. She trusts him. Gathering up her courage she speaks.

 

‘’Something happened two months ago … ‘’ She starts, stopping to swallow hard, trying to steady her voice. ‘’ I had a fight with this guy. I tried to get him to leave, but.’’ Reliving every happened second all over again feels unbearable. She grits her teeth.

 

‘’You don’t have to tell me now if you don’t want to’’ Frank reassures her. Looking at Claire who’s tripping over her words. She hasn’t said this out loud to anyone. Can’t look him in the eyes while saying it. Her grip against the table turns her knuckles white.

 

Admitting it will make it real.

 

Tears are threatening to fall from her eyes. She tries to swallow them down confessing: ‘’Francis, He raped me.’’ She hides her face behind her hair in shame.

 

Francis is blown away. He’s struck with memories of his broken down mother, freezing him. Flashes of her crying alone in the kitchen. Pleading his father to stop it. He remembers the screaming and the horror. Him trying to protect his mother. Getting them both beaten up. Old anger bubbling up. Him being unable to protect the people he cares about the most. It makes him sick to his stomach.

 

Frank steps closer to her carefully. Shocked and angry. He’s speechless. Walking slowly towards her he calls out her name. He doesn’t want to scare her. She lifts her gaze at him, lip trembling. Tears shining in her eyes like thousand diamonds. She’s so beautiful. Letting him wrap her in his arms gently, she draws in shaky breaths. Trying to stop the crying before the tears fall.

 

Frank caresses her shoulders in big circles. Trying his best to comfort her. He can’t say anything to make it go away. He can only support her. She hates this vulnerability, but her eyes well up with fresh tears. She tries to hide them in his shoulder. Falling against him. He inhales deep against her hair. Her scent filling his senses. He missed the subtle scent of her hair. Carefully he places a soft kiss on her hairline trying not to step over the line.

 

‘’Who was it?’’ He whispers against her hair, holding her tight against his hammering chest. Her heartbeat matching his. ‘’It doesn’t matter anymore. I haven’t reported him. I don’t want people to know. I can’t live if everyone knows.’’ She croaks against his shoulder. ‘’ The thought of it is unlivable. I don’t want to be that person. To be known as that person. The girl who got raped.’’

 

He understands her. That kind of stain will stay on her forever. He wishes she would tell him the name. He would crush that person in his hands until there was nothing more than ashes left of him. Maybe it’s better this way. They might be able to get over this.

 

‘’If that’s what you want, I respect it. But I’m willing to make that bastard pay for everything he did to you.’’ He swears, thinking about the suffering of his own mother. With her spirit broken down and trampled over.

 

‘’Nothing will come out of anger. I’ve been welling in it too long. I have to use these feelings to get forward. To become stronger, unbreakable. Show him that he can’t bring me down.’’ Claire breaks out of his embrace, looking at his empathic eyes. ‘’And I don’t want you to look at me like that. With pity.’’

 

‘’I’m proud of you. You’re stronger than most Claire. Now you just have to find your steel back.’’ Let the snow pile up and cover everything that has happened. He clasps her hands into his. ‘’You know I’m willing to help you with that. To get forward.’’

 

Long seconds they spend staring into each others eyes. Like a competition to see if one of them falters. She nods at him determined. Seeing the fire, the ambition she so missed. A yawn suddenly escapes her before she can cover her mouth. Breaking the tension between them.

 

‘’Am I really that boring?’’ Frank chuckles letting her hands down. He can still make her smile. She brushes her hair behind her ears still yawning. Mouth stretched wide open. ‘’I’ve barely slept in months. It’s catching up on me. My mind keeps racing even when I try to sleep.’’ She doesn’t mention the nightmares occurring every night she gets sleep. Or getting peace of mind only for a moment with another warm body distracting her.

 

‘’Do you want me to stay here?’’ Claire opens her mouth in confusion but before she can contradict him Frank continues: ‘’Just for the time until you fall asleep. To keep you distracted. Don’t worry, I’ll be on my way before you notice.’’  

 

.:.:.

 

She lies in her bed next to him. They’ve been quiet for a while. Frank is tracing a small circle over her hand lightly, comforting her. He breaks the silence. Encouraged by the dark of the night:  ‘’I never told this to anyone but my father was a bad man. He loved to abuse my mama and beat me up. Getting off on our suffering. He’s dead now but nothing will ever make it disappear. I never forget seeing her - -. ‘’ gulping down he takes deep breaths, feeling Claire’s fingers wrap around his.

 

‘’He made sure I knew. It was a punishment of sort. Because I couldn’t protect her from him. I couldn’t stop him from raping her, from beating her up.’’ He still feels guilty.

 

‘’Is your mother still alive?’’ Claire asks carefully. Not wanting to open more scars. Steadying her voice, she tries to be strong for him in this moment. Feeling like she could burst herself.

 

‘’She is. Now she’s free with that bastard dead and buried. She still lives down in Gaffney. I’ve tried to put all of it behind me, not to think about it but - -’’ Claire nods at his words continuing: ‘’I reminded you of her?’’

 

With a hard sigh he admits: ‘’It were your eyes, at the grocery store. The reflection of pain. It all came flashing back. I feared the worst but I wanted to hear it from you. All my quilt and the fury from those years came rushing back in. I’m angry I wasn’t there to protect you.’’

 

Claire’s not sure how she’s supposed to react. She feels deep unity, connection to Francis. Still she doesn’t want him to manage her, to think of her as a damsel in distress.

 

She has felt less and less in every passing day. Ice spreading over her, taking her over. Licking at the edges of her heart. But now he’s here, breathing life back into her. She hates to admit it but she needs him to shed her of her fears. She feels like she’s stuck on her back, begging him to help her up. Lifting her arms in the air for him to turn her over.

 

‘’I already told you I don’t want you to pity me. Don’t say you’re sorry.’’ She mutters at Francis. Doubting him quietly. Doubting her feelings. He continues to brush his fingers lightly against her palm: ‘’I don’t. There’s no room for weakness in this cruel World. We have to fight for our position. But we already have a plan. Right?’’

 

She hums at him. Pleased with his answer. She’s letting him lead her on this familiar path. She decides to take his hand, follow at his heels. Together they’ll rise up through the snow, above the rooftops, above the red horizon.

 

Sleep is starting to claw at her tired brain. She only has one thing to ask of him: ‘’Would you sing something to me? Anything.’’ Frank smiles pleased at her request. His deep voice pulls her into the darkness. Wrapping her in soft velvet. Sleep claiming her slowly. For the first time in weeks she’s not afraid to close her eyes.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry but it had to be done. This plays extremely important part in Claire's past and the future.


End file.
